Earlier this week I had the privilege of traveling to Salt Lake City. I was blessed to sit with a mom and dad while their son endured back surgery to correct a spinal curve. (I don't appreciate this like I should because I have never had to wait through a 7 hour surgery for one of my children.)
On Tuesday morning before returning home I spent about an hour in our UISBC state convention office with the state staff during their weekly chapel time. I was encouraged to listen to those serving the churches of Utah and Idaho. I'm thankful for them all.
This is not the reason for my post this week though. I'm posting because of what God showed me during the 4 hour trip to SLC and the 4 hour trip home. In the eight hours of trave,l I listened to KBYU radio (Mormon radio). This was an eye opening experience even though I would never encourage any follower of Christ to make KBYU a main investment for your ears, nor should this be interpreted by anyone as me endorsing KBYU radio (because I'm not.)
This is the short of what I heard.
- nearly 4 hours of complete 'talks' (I don't know if they are called sermons or not, I don't use the word 'talk' to belittle the sermon, I just honestly don't know what to call it.)
- nearly 3 hours of Christmas music (just like the ones you and I sing in church.)
- an hour or so of miscellaneous talk and advertisement (all conservative and family friendly related topics.)
At this moment I may have many readers concerned about where I'm going with this. Stay with me. I'm not endorsing or am I suggesting that I am in agreement with Mormon doctrine. This is not a post about this kind of topic. In fact, let me state clearly for the record; there is no common foundational ground with Mormonism and (true) Christianity.
Back to the reason for this posting...
If pastors don't preach biblical doctrine and churches don't hold their pastor accountable to preach biblical doctrine then we sound just like the cultic teachers I heard on the radio who sounded just like preachers I've heard preach in 'evangelical' churches. This should cause great concern.
This posting is a call to the pastor to preach doctrine (the things that prove we are not building on the same foundation.) This posting is a call to the church to not settle for a motivational speaker. Preach the Word in season and out of season. Preach the Word when it's popular and especially when it's not popular. Preach the Word of God!
Flesh this out with me will you? What is going on in the American church that an LDS 'talk' sounds just like so many 'evangelical' sermons?
Posts
Paul, Great post. I agree 100%. Much of what passes for biblical preaching today is nothing more than cheerleading. I have never listened to BYU radio. Sometimes Sunday morning I listen to the KSL station that is still tuned to KSL because I was listening to Sean Hannity or a football game and I hear an LDS program regarding doctrine. There is plenty there to disagree with.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think calling it a talk is fair, that is what LDS folks call their Sunday morning "sermons" in sacrament meeting, a little talk.
Good post Paul. This may sound weird, but yesterday I stopped by Deseret Book and picked up my bi-yearly Ensign Conference Report from the LDS Church. I do this after every conference and then spend a little time reading through each article, which are the transcripts from the conference talks. I analyze them for content, context (or lack there of), and message. I have done this for many years.
ReplyDeleteYour dead on in your statement about the LDS Church's attempt at folding itself into the "mainstream" of Christianity. Their message is very deceptive. Unfortunately, the everyday individual (casual listener) would never look at their message the way we might, because they don't have the exposure to a daily dose of prayer and Bible study. Something does need to be done and the need for solid doctrine from the pulpit is an absolute. (I have to give a shout out to Rodger at this point...He is a very solid doctrinal preacher and teacher.)
I recently completed the first three of twelve articles which look at "Preach My Gospel", which is the missionary manual used by LDS missionaries. Their methods in missionary work and their doctrines are covered very thoroughly in this manual. I would be happy to send you a copy of the articles if you would like. Shoot me an e-mail... Sorry I went long.
Mike Frye
Rodger, Isn't it amazing that the need for clear doctrinal messages has always been needed? And yet the temptation is there for the pastor to assume that doctrine will not resonate with those who have gathered.
ReplyDeleteMike, I would be interested in hearing what you discover in your research through the LDS conference report. I was shocked three years ago reading through conference reports of the local Southern Idaho Freemason annual report and the heretical talks about God, Then as I cross referenced some of the speakers with local LDS Wards (I refuse to use the word church, because of the confusion it presents) I discovered the reason we must be as doctrinally clear as possible.
What do any of you think about this... Should we be more vocal in our local areas about the doctrinal differences? I know the thought about not BEING offensive by how we say something, but shouldn't the LDS in our communities know that they preach a different gospel? Is this at all what Paul means in Romans 10? How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
We (pastors) know that LDS doctrine is not compatible with Biblical doctrine, but do the people attending our churches know this?
Thanks for the thoughts on this so far.
There are excellent materials out there, explaining the doctrinal differences between reformed Christianity and LDS. I don't believe this needs to be covered in a Sunday morning sermon, but included as part of a church's efforts at equipping its members through discipleship. That equipping ought to, at a minimum, include some kind of systematic theology primer, the history of the church, leadership training, bible study methods, and comparative religion. The Sunday morning crowd is, hopefully, rather heavy on seekers, skeptics, backsliders, and all sorts of other folks who have a tenuous hold on faith (if any at all). This is probably not the place to push hard on them or critique other faiths for misguided doctrine.
ReplyDeleteIs this just wishful thinking?